This invention relates to improvements in the type of pimento coring machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,477 to Altman. The machine disclosed in the patent includes a horizontal chain conveyor having spaced cross bars mounting rows of pimento holding cups. The conveyor chains are achieved in a step-by-step move and dwell mode to position consecutive rows of pimentos under rotary coring knives which are mounted on a vertically reciprocating carriage above the conveyor. When the movements of the carriage and conveyor become slightly non-synchronized in the patented machine, the descending rotary knives can strike the stainless steel holding cups on the conveyor cross bars which are formed of stainless steel, and destroy both the knives and cups. When the machine is properly synchronized, the descending knives are coaxially aligned with the cups and they will properly core the pimentos in the cups without contacting the cups.
The principal objective of the invention, therefore, is to provide a means which will prevent damage to, or destruction of, the knives and cups in a machine of the Altman type whenever the fruit conveyor and reciprocating knife carriage are not properly synchronized.
A further important object of the invention is to provide such a means or device which does not interfere with the regular and normal operation of the machine when its conveyor and reciprocating carriage are synchronized.
Briefly, in its essence, the invention consists of a mechanical sensing probe bodily mounted on the lower end of the vertically reciprocating knife carriage above and in alignment with the underlying fruit conveyor chaine. If the conveyor is out of synchronization with the carriage, when the carriage descends, the probe will strike a chain roller during a dwell of the conveyor and arrest the descent of the carriage, so that its rotating knives cannot strike the pimento holding cups on the conveyor. If the conveyor and carriage are properly synchronized, the probe can cleanly penetrate the conveyor chain while the latter is at a dwell by entering a space defined by two adjacent chain rollers and two side links. The device is extremely simple, effective and economical to manufacture. It can be added to new or extending machines without difficulty and does not significantly alter the machine structure or change the basic mode of operation of the machine in any way.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.